Seasonal Treats from Culinary Stars
Chef Lamar Moore, mixologist Lynn House whip up modern takes on eggnog, hot buttered rum.
It was a pleasure chatting with chef Lamar Moore, who most recently stepped down from his executive chef position at Bugsy & Meyer Steakhouse in Las Vegas. This is a post he was awarded after coming in first place on Food Network’s “Vegas Chef Prizefight” cooking competition.
Now that he’s back at home, in Chicago, he’s been collaborating with major brands like Cameo and Hormel Foods, plus raising money for various charities. We discussed everything that’s been going on in his world as he whipped up this original dish that’s perfect for your holiday brunch.
Below, you’ll find his recipe for Eggnog French Toast, and to complement it, he’s included another recipe for Hot Buttered Rum. And, if you’re looking for more eggnog recipes, Lynn House, the national spirits specialist/portfolio mixologist for Heaven Hill Brands, recently spotlighted two original cocktails.
EGGNOG FRENCH TOAST
Ingredients:
1/2 cup eggnog
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp rum
4 slices brioche half-inch thick (or other white bread like challah or French bread)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp pure vanilla
2 tbsp brown sugar
unsalted butter – as needed
Directions:
Preheat cast iron or heavy duty sauté pan. In a mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients except bread until very well blended. Pour mixture into baking dish (or other similar sized shallow baking dish) and dip bread into mixture, allowing to soak minimum one hour, but up to four hours, depending on thickness and types of bread used. You can also bake French toast as well for extra crispness.
Add to buttered pan and cook until bottom is golden brown and delicious, then flip and cook other side until same way. Serve with whiskey pear syrup (recipe below) or maple syrup.
RUM PEAR SYRUP
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dark rum
2 Bartlett pears (peeled and quartered)
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tsp honey
1 tsp pure maple syrup
2 tbsp pure vanilla
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp lemon zest
Directions:
In a heavy duty space pot, add all ingredients, keep on low heat for 30 minutes or until pears are slightly soft, or fork tender. Cool and serve. The syrup is also great on biscuits.
HOT BUTTERED RUM
Ingredients:
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp butter (soft)
1 oz ground cinnamon
1 oz ground nutmeg
1 oz allspice
1 oz vanilla extract
6 oz rum (dark)
5 ounces water (hot)
Directions:
Place butter, spices, and sugar in bottom of mug or glass. Pour in rum and top with hot water. Another fun idea: Replace hot water with apple cider.
Great recipes for the holidays!